BOOK
REVIEW by Judy
Taking the
Adventure: Faith and Our Kinship with Animals
Gracia
Fay Ellwood
If
you are a fan of Gracia Fay Ellwood’s online “The Peaceable Table” monthly journal,
then you may have already grabbed your copy of Taking the Adventure. For everyone else, I must tell you, the book
is well-named. This is not just food
for thought. It is a bountiful feast
for thought, an exciting adventure for the mind and heart. Reading this book, we find ourselves in the
company of a true scholar of literature, philosophy, parapsychology, faith
traditions, and life. Ellwood shares her
insights gleaned from the Bible, C.S. Lewis, Charles Dickens, Tolkien,
Shakespeare, and many others. Along this
adventurous pathway, she connects them all and shows us clues to what we must
do to stop the destruction of earth and the suffering of animals caused by
humanity.
With
the story of Exodus, for example, she shows how animal activists find
themselves in exile socially because of their compassion for all species and
their attempts to break through widely accepted cultural traditions that are
inherently violent. In exile she
suggests, “We must live as though our thoughts, words, and actions will fan out
and shape the future to an extent beyond our imagining: in short, we must love
both friends and those we experience as foes.” (p. 43)
She
encourages us--this brilliant mentor of ours--to work to liberate all animals,
and at the same time to take care of ourselves, “refresh ourselves from our work
by seeking out and savoring glimpses of this edenic Reality which is our and
all other beings’ true home.” (p. 106)
This is the “adventure” of finding our true selves and manifesting on
earth our true home-a peaceable kingdom for all beings.
To
help us manifest this paradise, Ellwood shares
from her knowledge of literature.
For example, she recalls for us how Frodo refused to kill Gollum in Lord of the Rings even though Gollum was
a significant threat. It was because
Frodo took pity on Gollum who could not see beyond his own greed that a great
evil was averted. Much of the suffering
and devastation of our earth is caused by greed and fear, but as bringers of
compassion, we must have compassion both for victims and those involved in
victimizing who cannot see beyond themselves.
Acts of compassion are powerful beyond our knowledge.
After
reading Taking the Adventure you may
feel you just received another college degree--it is so rich in information and
imagination. But much more than
that—this is a book that enlivens us all with new energy and commitment for
being steadfast in our passion to free the animals from human domination, to
raise human consciousness, and to bring paradise to earth for all who live
here. It is a book that we must share
widely within our community of activists. It will be a special healing balm for
those who feel discouraged or alone in this work. It is also a book to buy and give to people
of faith, social justice activists, world peace activists, scholars, and every
adventurer who wants to make the world a better place. This book
is a ray of light that needs to be shining into all the dark places. Thank
you, Gracia Fay Ellwood, for this brilliant gift of Light, Love, and Hope.
